年齡不是葡萄酒的秘密.

常常聽到人們說2000好, 1993差, 1982是夢幻vintage; 到底是甚麽意思呢?

首先問大家一個問題, 對葡萄酒有相當的研究嗎?

[我就連“品牌名”或“產地”的讀法也不清楚. 即使向店員請教, 最多也只得到 : 單寧重, 有豐富的水果味. 這類答案....不知怎樣辦... ]

當你越想越懊惱, 最後在迷惘至極的時候就決定只以價格為基準來挑選, 最後就選了瓶不合適的葡萄油...當這種經驗周而復始, 你就會開始覺得 [喝葡萄酒真麻煩 !]

其實, 就算沒有淵博的葡萄酒知識, 也有選擇優質葡萄酒的方法. 當中最快捷的方法就是知曉 Vintage(葡萄酒的生產年份). 葡萄酒理所當然是由葡萄釀造的, 由於葡萄是農作物, 自然會有豐收和失收的時候; 在適合的天氣和沒有冰雹等災害的情況下, 這一年就能收割到大量優質的葡萄, 這樣的年份稱為 [ Great Vintage], 釀成的酒就算是一般級數的, 通常都會很出色.

不過要注意的是用Vintage來選擇葡萄酒, 對新世界(指釀造葡萄酒的後興國家如智利, 澳洲等) 葡萄酒並不合用, 因為不同Vintage的葡萄酒在新世界中分別並不明顯. Vintage主要是針對舊世界葡萄酒(可以說是歐洲)而言.

舉例來說, 2003年法國夏天酷熱得有人熱死, 但對某些釀酒葡萄來說卻是好天氣, 在法國最大的葡萄酒產地Bordeaux(波爾多), Cabernet Sauvignon 罕有地出現豐收. 因此, 2003波爾多(以Cabernet Sauvignon為主體的波爾多左岸葡萄酒)紅酒十分優秀, 就是價格較廉宜的也應該不錯. 至於法國東南部地方的另一大產區Burgundy(勃根地), 它的情況如何呢? Burgundy主要的葡萄Pinot Noir 因為酷熱天氣而失收. 因此和Bordeaux正好相反, 2003年Burgundy的葡萄酒得到不樂觀這下等評價. 如果要喝美味的Burgundy葡萄酒的話, 推薦大家年份2002的葡萄酒, 因為是得到高度評價 [ Super Great Vintage] . 只不過, 在 [Great] 的年份出產的葡萄酒屬於成熟期長的類型, 飲用時需要特長的 “透氣” 時間.

紅葡萄

Château Latour-Martillac CRU CLASSE DE GRAVES

Appellation Pessac-Léognan

Wines at Château Latour-Martillac are made in such a way as to reduce oxidation to a minimum, which is always harmful for their freshness and balance.

The " red " vathouse has special equipment and manual sorting table which enables the harvest that has just been hand-picked under strict supervision, to be de-stalked, crushed and put into vats in record time. The produce of our old vines and that of the younger ones which is used to make our second wine - Lagrave-Martillac Red - ferments in stainless steel vats fitted with electronic temperature control.

Our red wines are aged for 18 or 20 months in oak barrels, half of which are renewed every year. Bottling of every vinetage follows fining with egg whites and blending of the wines selected from the different parts of the vineyard, only the best of which go into the first wine, Château Latour-Martillac.

For the white wine, pickers go through the vines several times selecting just those grapes that are ready and putting them in wooden fruits trays or flat boxes so as not to damage them. The harvest is then pressed traditionally as the press slowly rotates. The must is filtered cold and the clear juice alone is fermented in oak barrels, that are also renewed by half everey year. This way the natural aromas of the grapes are kept intact. Their complexity comes largely from the old grape varieties used by our grandfathers, magnified by the great age. The young vines are harvested in the same way to make a new Lagrave-Martillac White.

The white wines are kept on their lees for over a year, then bottled in dark glass to enable them to develop as dry wines for decades.

CHÂTEAU LATOUR-MARTILLAC red wine and white wine is available at Purple 6 Wine Delivery.

Information provided by DOMAINES KRESSMANN - Société Civile Fermière des Domaines KRESSMANN
CHÂTEAU LATOUR-MARTILLAC